Category: Egyptian Artifacts

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Egyptian Artifacts

Magical Stela – Cippus

This is known as a Magical Stela, or a cippus.

It depicts Horus 𓅃𓀭(or Harpokrates, the Greek version of Horus 𓅃𓀭) standing on two 𓏻 crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏥 and holding other dangerous animals such as snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 and scorpions 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫𓏪 in each hand. The god Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 also appears above Horus’ 𓅃𓀭 head 𓁶𓏺. Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 was known to ward off evil and bad luck.

Normally, stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 were used to commemorate the dead so this is almost like a protective amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 in the form of a stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸. This cippus was used by the living for protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜. Since the Old Kingdom, Horus 𓅃𓀭 was called upon as a defender against snake or scorpion bites. Placing the cippus on a wound would evoke its magical and healing powers. Cippus stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 like this were usually kept in homes 𓉐𓏺.

However, cippus pieces have also been found in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪, so we can assume that the Egyptians thought it not only would help protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the living, but the dead too.

Fun fact! The Middle Egyptian word for scorpion is 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫 which can be pronounced like “Serket.” Serket 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫 was a goddess 𓊹𓏏 who was represented by a scorpion and she was associated with healing, protection, and magic. Serket 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫 could also be written like this: 𓊃𓂋𓈎𓏏𓁐.

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Abydos King List

Something I was so excited to see in the British Museum was the Abydos King List. There are two surviving King Lists from temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏪 at Abydos, the cult center of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. One temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 is from Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠, and the other from his son Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓, who were both pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 during the 19th Dynasty. Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 list is still in the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Abydos, while Rameses II’s 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 was excavated and brought to the British Museum.

While neither list is a 100% complete list, there are some glaring holes in the list – Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪, Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖, Smenkhare 𓇳𓊃𓉻𓂓𓂦𓆣, Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓, and Ay’s 𓇳𓆣𓆣𓏪𓁹𓐙𓏏 cartouches are missing. Obviously, these names were left off because these pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 are considered non-legitimate. Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 was the female pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, and Akhenaten-Ay is considered the Amarna Period, which was not well liked due to the drama of Akhenaten changing the religion and moving the capital of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖.

The point of the King Lists was not to preserve history for future generations, rather the main objective was to glorify the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, and as we know, pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 were considered gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 on Earth. These lists allowed Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 and Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 to assert their legitimacy amongst the old pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖.

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Hatshepsut Gallery

The room is known as Gallery 115, but I have always called it “The Hatshepsut Room” simply because it is the gallery in the MET where all of her statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏦 are. The MET was instrumental in excavating Hatshepsut’s 𓇳𓁦𓂓 mortuary temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐, and all of the statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏦 in this gallery are from that excavation.

While Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓 was not the only female pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 in Egyptian history, she was without a doubt the most successful (if not one of the most successful pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 to ever live). During her rule, any Hyksos influence was now erased, and this time was kind of the “golden age” for New Kingdom art. Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 also had good relationships with neighboring peoples and trade flowed freely. This allowed Egypt to prosper in ways that it hadn’t before 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Limestone Stela of Paser

This is a limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 that belonged to a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 named Paser 𓅮𓀙 who lived during the 18th Dynasty.

This is not the same Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 who was the vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 – that Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 lived during the 19th Dynasty! On a random note, the Vizier Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 has his own large stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 in the British Museum (which I have written about in previous posts) but a smaller stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 was also found during the excavation of his tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐. I was so excited to see the name 𓂋𓈖 Paser 𓅮𓀙 in the Petrie Museum when I was there with my Nonno because my Nonno’s favorite non-royal was vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽! That excitement ended when I saw the date of the piece and realized that these were not for “THE” Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 and we’re just for another man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 with the same name 𓂋𓈖 😂.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs! What’s great about this stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is thatall the people are labeled with a “caption” above them so they can be identified. The man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 in the middle is Paser 𓅮𓀙 and on either side of him is a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐. Both women have the same name 𓂋𓈖 – Mery 𓌻𓇌. The word “mery” in Middle Egyptian means “beloved,” and can also be written like this: 𓌻𓂋𓇌.

The woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 that is sitting with Paser 𓅮𓀙 on the lion legged chair is his wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐, while the woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 standing at the offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 with the lotus flower 𓆸 is their daughter 𓐍𓇌𓀕. Two 𓏻 Eyes of Horus 𓂀 can be seen on either side of the Shen Ring 𓍶 at the top of the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Pink Granite Sphinx

Rome and The Vatican Museum were some of my Nonno’s absolute favorite places to be and I am so so lucky that we were able to travel there together in 2014. Some of the best days of my life were spent in Rome and Rome has remained my favorite city since that visit. I love Rome’s combination of ancient and modern – the whole vibe of the city very much fits my personality!

This is the pink granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 in the Vatican and it is dated to the first century AD. Even as a geologist it’s so weird that this rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 is classified as pink granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 because it isn’t pink! Red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 is actually a lot more pink and many can get the two 𓏻 rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦 confused! For the purpose of writing hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, I used the same word for both red and pink granite since the rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦 are definitely similar!

It was difficult to find information about this Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 which is why I haven’t made a post about it even though I love this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏!

But just looking at it you can tell the craftsmanship is exquisite! You can definitely see the merging of Egyptian and Roman styles in this piece. The Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 is also so big, which makes it even more impressive. It is so difficult to work with granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 because it is a very hard and stable rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 (which is why it’s so great to use for countertops)!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of a Man Named Ahmose

This is gray schist statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is of a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 named Ahmose 𓇹𓄟𓋴 (but his nickname was Ruru). Schist is a metamorphic rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙, which means it formed under extreme heat and pressure. Schist is formed due to a process called regional metamorphism, which is a fancy way to say mountain building over big areas! Most of NYC is actually built on schist – it is an extremely strong and dense rock, hence why it can support NYC’s tremendous skyscrapers!

Even though this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is dated to the 18th Dynasty, it was definitely influenced by Middle Kingdom style art. The wig and the cloak that Ahmose 𓇹𓄟𓋴 is depicted as wearing was a popular style during the Middle Kingdom. However, the facial structure of the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is very much a New Kingdom style.

Ahmose 𓇹𓄟𓋴 served as a high ranking government official 𓋴𓂋𓀀(probably some type of priest 𓊹𓍛) during the reign of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪, however her cartouches do not appear anywhere on the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾. Her cartouches were erased and you can now see the cartouche of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 on the front inscription. This happened to a lot of objects bearing Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 name 𓂋𓈖, especially during the reign of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣.

The name 𓂋𓈖 Ahmose 𓇹𓄟𓋴 was an extremely popular name during the 18th Dynasty. Ahmose 𓇹𓄟𓋴 means “the moon is born.”

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Egyptian Artifacts

Details of Anubis on a Roman Sarcophagus

For my whole life I have called this piece the “Roman Anubis Mummy!!!”

As anyone who has followed me for a while knows, I love absolutely anything that has to do with Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! He has been my favorite Egyptian god 𓊹 since I started learning about mythology at six 𓏿 years old! Since I was a kid who was obsessed with mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 too, it makes sense that Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, god 𓊹 of mummification and cemeteries would be a favorite of mine!

What is interesting about this image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 though is that he is depicted with the moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹. Thoth 𓅤𓀭 is usually represented with the moon (as he is god 𓊹 of the moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹 along with hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥, wisdom etc.), while Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 connection to the lunar disc 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹 is not well understood. One of the earliest images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 with the moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹 actually comes from Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐, in the scene that “confirms” that Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 was Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 father 𓇋𓏏𓀀, thus she had the divine right to rule. Other scenes connecting Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 to the moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹 exist, but the relationship between two 𓏻 are not well understood and it is something I wish we knew more about!

This is the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 of a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 named Artemidora who lived in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 during the Roman Period (A.D 90-100). The text above Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 reads “Artemidora, daughter of Harpokras, died untimely, aged 27. Farewell.” The images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 taken of her mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 using radiographic techniques confirm this age of death. Big thanks the @metmuseum for the translation, because while I can read and translate hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 I certainly do not know Greek!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Wood Embellishments

These three 𓏼 pieces in the Brooklyn Museum are embellishments made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 that were meant to attach to furniture. They are from the 18th Dynasty and these pieces look so good after so long because Egypt’s 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 environment is ideal for preserving wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 because it’s so dry. There isn’t the risk of mold (in most places) so the wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 can be preserved decently well.

The Djed Pillar 𓊽 (both ends) is associated with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and his regenerative powers. The Djed Pillar 𓊽 is thought to represent Osiris’ 𓁹𓊨𓀭 spine, hence why it was used to represent the word “stability” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. It was usually used in a funerary context, and Djed pillar 𓊽 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏦 were placed on mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 to help enhance powers of regeneration. It is one of the most easily recognized symbols in Egyptian art. It’s use can be traced back to the Old Kingdom.

The tyet knot 𓎬 (the middle), also known as the Isis knot 𓎬, was considered a very strong symbol of protection and came to be associated with Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥. The Egyptians believed that knots 𓎬 were able to bind and then release magic. The Isis Knots 𓎬 were also mostly used in a funerary context, as amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏦 placed on mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪, so it is very interesting to see both symbols made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 and used for furniture!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statues of Deities

There’s a lot that I love about this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 – 1) obviously I love the bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪, 2) it’s in the Petrie Museum, and 3) which I think is the best part – you can see me and Nonno’s reflections in the mirror! We are squished together both trying to take pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of all the artifacts! We spent a big part of that day like that and I wish I could go back and re-live that day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳 again. So while this is not the best picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 artistically speaking, it really means a lot to me. While I am certainly no artist, I can fluently read hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 (and have been for 23 years) so it’s all good 😂 – can’t be good at everything!

From the left, the bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 represent Horus 𓅃𓀭(or Harpokrates, the Greek version of Horus 𓅃𓀭), two 𓏻 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 (a non-royal man who became deified – responsible for the construction of Djoser’s 𓂦 Step Pyramid amongst many other things), the fertility god 𓊹 Min 𓋊𓊾𓁤, and Khnum 𓎸𓏏𓀭 (one of the oldest deities, god 𓊹 of the source of the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺, fertility and was thought to have made humans out of clay from his potters wheel).

The Bronze Age started due to the rise in the Sumerian civilization in Mesopotamia. Due to war and trade, bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 was able to come to Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 around 700 B.C.E. and replace the traditional stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪 and clay statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪. The bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 pieces are great antiquities because they can preserve small details over long periods of time. Bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statuary 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 became very popular starting around the Third Intermediate Period (26th Dynasty), and became very abundant in the Ptolemaic Period, which resulted in mass production and a loss of craftsmanship and quality.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Great Sphinx of Tanis

This sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 in the Louvre is one of the largest outside of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! It is known as the “Great Sphinx of Tanis” because it was found in the ruins of the Temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 of Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳 in Tanis 𓆓𓂝𓈖𓏏𓊖! Tanis 𓆓𓂝𓈖𓏏𓊖 was the capital of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 from the 21st-23rd Dynasties. The sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 is made of granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 – an extremely strong 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 and durable rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙!

This sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 is so interesting because the cartouches of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 Merneptah 𓇳𓃒𓈖𓈘𓊹𓊹𓊹 (19th Dynasty) and Sheshonq I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓆷𓆷𓈖𓈎 (22nd Dynasty) are both seen on the sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤. Why are two 𓏻 pharaoh’s 𓉐𓉻 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 there? Well, the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 used to recycle monuments, a process called “usurping.” The practice of usurping was when the current pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 would take old pharaoh’s 𓉐𓉻 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 off of monuments and put their own there! It is basically ancient plagiarism and it occurred quite frequently.

Some Egyptologists say this sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 actually dates back to the Old Kingdom, as the face 𓁶𓏺 doesn’t represent any known pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! A book that I have says the sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 dates to the Middle Kingdom. We will probably never know!